Lee County Heart Walk draws thousands of supporters

Nothing like a 3.1-mile walk on a fairly-somewhat-kinda-sorta brisk morning through the downtown Fort Myers Historic River District for the 2016 Lee County Heart Walk extravaganza.

Team Spiro joined thousands and thousands of walkers, runners and joggers for this family friendly event Saturday, Dec. 10.

An All-ages Event

Kids, pets, and adults younger and older met at Centennial Park then stepped off for a leisurely trek down Edwards Avenue, over the Edison Bridge — twice — and back to the park to catch our collective breaths. Some children walked or ran, while others laid back in their strollers as mom or dad pushed the little darlings along the route.

The throng of people was quite the sight, and sea of bodies traversing Fort Myers and enjoying each other’s company as Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputies provided assistance with traffic control.

Pet-friendly, too

Plenty of dogs pounded the pavement as well for the fundraising effort. Christa Hoskins’ Australian Shepherd, Astra, was there, as well as Jason Zulauf’s cuddly little Shih-Poo —a crossbreed between a Poodle and a Shih Tzu — Maggie Lou.

Love the T-Shirt

And, Team Spiro’s “uniform,” including a T-shirt that reads, “Number one on our Grinchmas list … Healthy Hearts for everyone,” was named runner-up for best outfit.

Team Spiro T-Shirt

Lee County Heart Walk Fights Heart Disease & Stroke

The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier event for raising funds to save lives from the No. 1 and No. 5 killersin the U.S. — heart disease and stroke. Designed to promote heart-healthy living and physical activity, the Heart Walk creates an environment that’s rewarding and fun for all participants.

As of Dec. 12, the Heart Walk was inching its way to $400,000 of the $500,000 fundraising goal, according to one of the Heart Walk’s websites.

Next Year, Be There!

Feel free to sign up to join Team Spiro for the 2017 Lee County Heart Walk. We’re not asking you to raise money. Not asking you to run, and we’re not asking you to listen to any presentations about heart disease. Simply get your rear in gear for a couple of hours on what we hope will be another beautiful Saturday morning in Paradise!